Radiation-Curable Composite Resin for Fast Cure Without Brittleness
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Solution Overview
Problem
State-of-the-art composite manufacturing techniques are not cost-effective due to long curing cycles, and existing UV-light curable compositions result in stiff, brittle materials that lack flexibility and toughness, making them unsuitable for high-volume applications.
Innovation Solution
A curable composition comprising compounds with ethylenically unsaturated moieties, including polyalkylene glycol, polycaprolactone, and cycloaliphatic structures, achieving a glass transition temperature of at least 90°C, with flexibility and high thermal resistance, suitable for high-volume production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional thermal curing is used for composite manufacturing, then the material achieves adequate mechanical properties, but the curing cycle time becomes excessively long making it unsuitable for high-volume production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal curing (mechanical/thermal system) with UV radiation curing (electromagnetic system). The composition is formulated with photoinitiators that enable rapid polymerization upon UV exposure, eliminating the need for prolonged thermal processing while achieving complete cure and optimal mechanical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters by incorporating specific compounds (polyalkylene glycol with ethylenically unsaturated moieties, cycloaliphatic structures, and low-viscosity monomers) that enable dual-curing capability. This allows the material to cure rapidly under UV while maintaining flexibility and toughness, resolving the contradiction between speed and material quality.
2Productivity
If UV-light curable compositions are used to achieve fast curing, then the manufacturing speed increases, but the cured material becomes stiff and brittle losing flexibility and toughness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite resin system combining multiple functional components: polyalkylene glycol-based oligomers for flexibility, cycloaliphatic compounds for toughness, low-viscosity monomers for workability, and photoinitiators for UV curing. This multi-component composite approach allows the material to exhibit both rapid cure speed and superior mechanical properties including flexibility and impact resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent assigns different functional roles to different molecular components within the composition. The polyalkylene glycol segments provide local flexibility, the cycloaliphatic structures provide local toughness and thermal resistance, while the low-viscosity monomers ensure proper flow and wetting. This local functional differentiation allows the bulk material to exhibit balanced properties of speed, flexibility, and strength.
3Temperature
If high crosslink density is achieved to increase thermal resistance, then the glass transition temperature increases, but the material becomes harder and more brittle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the molecular weight and functional group density of the oligomer components. The polyalkylene glycol oligomers have moderate molecular weights that provide sufficient chain mobility for flexibility while containing enough ethylenically unsaturated moieties to achieve high crosslink density upon curing. This parameter optimization enables high Tg (>90°C) without excessive brittleness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition enables fast curing at low temperatures, reduces shrinkage, and provides composite materials with flexibility, high thermal resistance, and good elongation properties, suitable for various applications including pipes and windmill blades.
Implementation Method 1
actinic radiation and/or thermally curable composition (I) for composite material... comprising: (A) at least 20 wt % of compound A comprising at least 2 ethylenically unsaturated moieties... (B) at least 20 wt % of compound B comprising at least 2 ethylenically unsaturated moieties... wherein composition (I) has after curing a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 90° C.
Implementation Method 2
UV light has the advantage that the curing is very fast... actinic radiation and/or thermally curable composition... suitable for high volume production
Data Source
AI summary
An actinic radiation and/or thermally curable composition (I) for composite material comprising: (A) at least 20 wt % of compound A comprising at least 2 ethylenically unsaturated moieties and a structural moiety; (B) at least 20 wt % of compound B comprising at least 2 ethylenically unsaturated moieties and a cycloaliphatic structure or heterocyclic aliphatic structure; (C) from 1 to 40 wt % of a compound C different from compound A and B containing essentially one ethylenically unsaturated moiety and having a viscosity of less than 100 mPa·s measured at 25° C., preferably below 50 mPa·s. even more preferably below 25 mPa·s; and (D) from 0 to 20 wt % of a compound D, comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated moiety, and which is different from compound A, B and C; whereby the total of compound B and A have a content of from 60 to 99 wt % in view of the total content of compounds A. B, C and optionally D.